Hand transplanting machine



C, KENNEDY HAND TRANSPLANTING MACHINVE Filed Mafch 7, 1921 UHARLEa KENNEDY.

Patented June 3, 1924.

CHARLES KENNEDY, or MAYs IoK, KENTUCKY.

HAND TRANSPLANTING MACHINE.

Application filed March 7, 1921. Serial No. 450,164.

T 0 all whom it may 2072007 01.

Be it known that 1, CHARLES liENNEDY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mayslick, in the county of Mason and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand TransplantingMachines, of which the following is a specification;

The present invention relates to machines or devices for transplanting cabbage,tomato and other plants by hand, and aimsto provide a novel and improved device of that kind by means of which the work can be done in a convenient and efficient manner. Another object is the provision of such a devicehaving means for pressing the soil to the plant when it is set, so as to cover theroots thereof, and prevent the roots from being left uncovered as well as avoiding the drawing ofthe plant from the ground when removing the device. 2

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will be. understood as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, it be-. ing understood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, the near soil pressing wing or blade being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking at rightangles to the line of view in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation looking in a direction opposite to the line of View in Fig. 2. i

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4 of Fig. 1.

The body or shank of the implement comprises a vertically elongated fiat plate or board 5, the lower end portion of which comprises a stationary pointed flat shoe 6 to be thrust into the ground, and opposite transverse handles 7 are secured to the upper end portion of said plate for carrying it and forcing the device into and lifting it from the ground.

A movable shoe 8 of arcuate section is disposed at one side of the shoe 6, and is pivoted, as at 9, to the edges of the plate 5 adjacent to the shoe 6, for the swingin movement of the shoe 8 away from and toward the shoe 6, the edges of the hoes overlapping the edges of the shoe 6 when said shoes are together, thereby forming an upwardly-opening pocket into whiclrfth'e plant can be dropped. The shoe S'has a mouth at its upper end, and said shoe coin verges to the point of the shoe 6 to provide a pointed nose which can be readily forced into the ground. The shoe 8 is normally swung against the shoe 6 to closed position by means of a suitable coiled spring 8 A rod or link 10, which extends vertically, has its lower end pivotally connected to the upper end of the shoe 8, and its upper end pivotally connected to a lever 11 disposed under thecorresponding handle 7 a'ndfulcrumed, as at 12, to the plate 5, whereby said lever in being grasped by the hand,

can be raised for swinging the shoe 8 open away from theshoe 6.

A chute 13 is disposed in a vertical position at one side of the plate .5, with itsedges secured to the edges of the plate, andthe lower end'of the chute enters the upper por-' tion of the shoe 8, whereby the plant can be conveniently dropped into the chute13 to pass down into the shoe 8.

A water tankgor reservoir 1 1 is'sec'ured;

to the plate 5 at that side opposite tot'he shoe 8 and chute 13,and a water delivery tube 15 extends from the lower end or bot tom of the tank through the plate 5 at the upper portion of the shoe 8, whereby water can be delivered to the plant when it is set in the ground. The flow of water from the tank through the tube is controlled by a. valve 16 seatable on the bottom of the tank over the upper end of the tube 15, and a valve stem or rod 17 extends upwardly from the valve out of the tank 14: and is connected to a lever 18 fulcrumed, as at 19, to the plate 5 opposite to the lever 11 under the corresponding handle 7 A spring 18 con nects the lever 18 and plate 5 for normally swinging the lever 18 downwardly and seating the valve 16. hen the two hands are applied tothe handles 7. the levers 11 and 18 can be readily grasped also for swinging either or both of the levers upwardly.

The means for pressing the soil to the plant when it is set, embody a pair of vertically-extending levers 2O fulcrumed or pivoted between their ends. as at 21, to the edges of the plate 5 near the upper end of the shoe 8, and blades or wings 22 are carried by the lower ends or arms of the iever 20 at the opposite edges of the shoes 6 and 8 or at such points to be disposed across the openings between the shoes when the shoe 8 is swung open. As shown, the blades or wings 22 have their lower edges substantially horizontal and broad, and such blades are disposed substantially vertical, in normal position, to enter the ground easily. A coiled retractile spring 23 is connected to the upper ends or arms of the levers 20 for swinging them toward one another and normally separating the blades 22 and holding them in proper position to enter the soil.

The means for operating the blades 22 include toggle links 24 pivoted to the upper ends or arms of the levers 20, and having their pivot joint 25 working in a slotted vertical guide 26 secured to the plate 5 above thefchute"13. A' rod or link 27 extending vertically has its lower end connected to the joint 25 and its upper end connected to the lever 11, so that when the lever 11 is swung upwardly to open the shoe 8, the joint 25 of the link 24'is raised to separate the upper arms of the levers 20 and move the blades 22 toward one another and the shoes.

In using the machine, the plant is dropped into the chute 13 and will pass down into the pocket between the shoes 6 and 8, and the shoes are then forced down into the ground by grasping the handles 7 and pushing the plate 5 down. The levers 11 and 18 are then raised by the hands. The lever 11 being raised, will swing the shoe 8 away from the shoe 6 to let the plant pass between the shoes to drop into the opening formed in the soil by the opening movement of the shoe8, and, at the same time, the

blades or wings 22 are moved toward one another and will press the soil which is between them and the shoes so as to pass between the shoes tothe plant. Thus, when the shoe 8 opens, the blades 22 press the soil to the plant, for covering the roots thereof and to also set the plant so that it will not be drawn from the ground when removing the device. The plant is thus set perfectly with the soil packed around the plant over the roots thereof, and the result is accomplished by a single operation or manipulation of the device. The lever 18 being raised will enable water to flow from the tank through the tube 15 for supplying moisture to the roots of the plant when it is set.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is A transplanter comprising a body, a pair of shoes at the lower end of the body, a pair of levers fulcrumed between their upper and lower ends to the body, blades carried by the lower end of the levers at the opposite edges of said shoes, a pair of toggle links disposed at one side of the body and pivoted to the upper ends of said levers, said links having a pivot joint connecting them together, a slotted vertical guide for said joint carried by the body, and operating means for separating said shoes and including a member connected to said joint for moving said joint vertically. to move the links toward and away from a straight line position in order to move said blades toward and away from the shoes.

. In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

CHAS. KENNEDY. 

